Following is an article by Mark DeLap in the Sioux Center News about the Vote Common Good Tour.
The nationally publicized bus tour “Vote Common Good” made a stop in Sioux Center on Friday to bring its message that advocates stopping President Donald Trump and flipping Congress to give Democrats control.
The movement has been likened to a barnstorming evangelical revival of both celebrities and common people who believe that America is in trouble.
“It’s a hootenanny. We sing, we invoke people into their voting patterns and invoke them into their faith to live it out into the world,” said Doug Pagitt, Voting Common Good executive director and one of the organizational founders.
Pagitt, who is the founding pastor of Solomon’s Porch, a holistic missional Christian community in Minneapolis, said that most of the people traveling with the group are Christians.
“Vote Common Good is an effort to travel the country to ask religiously-minded voters to consider the common good when they vote on Nov. 6,” Pagitt said. “We think that if a person went to church on Nov. 4 and their pastor took them through the Sermon on the Mount that on Nov. 6 when they turn to vote, they probably wouldn’t be able to vote for the current Republican candidates.
“We think that flipping this Congress is something that will happen if people care about their faith,” he said.
Pagitt also said that the feeling of the group is that the current presidency “needs the restraint of a Congress that will stand up to it.”
The tour has many celebrities, speakers, musicians and advocates for change who are traveling to cities all over the nation to speak out for change.
J.D. Scholten, the Democratic nominee for Iowa’s 4th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, opposing Republican incumbent Steve King, was in attendance and had a chance to address the crowd of about 50 people packed into the back room of The Fruited Plain Cafe in downtown Sioux Center.
Scholten spoke about a friend who is a Native American activist who offered his advice when Scholten’s campaign first began.
“He said, ‘J.D. if you want change, you’re going to have to get uncomfortable. And then once you get uncomfortable, you are going to have to get everyone else uncomfortable,’” Scholten said. “For the last 15 months, I’ve been uncomfortable. Now, it’s your turn, if you want change, to get uncomfortable from now until Nov. 6.”
Frank Schaeffer was among the speakers who voiced an opinion for the cause. He is a New York Times best-selling author of more than a dozen books who has appeared on “The Today Show” and “Oprah.”
“We have elected a prevaricating, lunatic, con artist, mobster who sits in our White House,” Schaeffer said. “My sense in this election is, is that this is a last-ditch effort and this is not a hyperbole. So, when I meet a candidate like J.D. I only have one message for him, and it’s not a political message. When it comes to putting a roadblock in the way of Trump and his administration, you think the first two years were bad, imagine if he has a majority in both houses of Congress and now a Supreme Court majority, there is no one to stop this man.
“Our last chance is that J.D. gets elected and that we flip the House. And I have a message for you JD and I’m being serious. Save us.”
Musical guests onstage included “Reverend” Vince Anderson who calls his music “Dirty Gospel” and has played with “The Tonight Show” band, The Roots. Featured artist from his Brooklyn-based band, The Love Choir, was former Baltimore Ravens cheerleader and singer Meah Pace who also has appeared with The Roots and Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings.
Schaeffer concluded the program with some impassioned thoughts.
“This isn’t about politics,” he said. “It’s about the national character. Go back and vote pro-life for the rest of your life. Vote for Republicans on a straight ticket next time. But this is a national emergency. It’s not Republicans and Democrats. It is a con artist, liar, philanderer, low life, who has weaseled his way with the bamboozled evangelical white vote into the White House. It behooves anyone who says they follow Jesus to try to repair the damage.”
The group was heading to Des Moines for an evening meeting and then on to Omaha, NE.
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